If you're overweight you are at risk for a variety of illnesses including high blood pressure and diabetes. To get your weight under control, or to just shed a few unwanted pounds, MedlinePlus, on online journal affiliated with the National Institutes of Health, suggests consuming fewer calories and exercising several days a week. Fad diets, like those that restrict carbohydrates or endorse eating only the foods they sell, can help you drop a few pounds quickly, but as soon as you stop the diet, you'll put the pounds right back on.
Step 1
Set a calorie goal you want to meet each day. Nadia Giordana, nutritionist and author of the book "Thinking Skinny," writes that the minimum number of calories the average woman should eat daily to fulfill her nutritional needs is 1,200. The minimum number for men is 1,300.
Giordana developed a formula for calculating the number of calories you should consume based on your activity level. Multiply your desired weight by 10 if you get very little exercise. For example, if your desired weight is 125 pounds, use this formula:
125 x 10 = 1,250 calories per day
If you get some exercise, multiply your desired weight by 13. If you are moderately active, multiply your desired weight 15, and if you exercise vigorously, multiply your desired weight by 17.
Step 2
Count the number of calories you consume each day. Get calorie information from the nutrition label on the back of packaged foods. Since fruits and vegetables do not have nutrition labels, you can get calorie information from a website like the USDA's National Nutrient Database (see Resources).
To ensure that you do not exceed your calorie goals, count your calories as the day goes on rather than counting them at the end of the day.
Step 3
Exercise most days of the week. Walking one mile a day will burn 500 calories. CalorieLab, a website that calculates the number of calories burned by exercising, indicates that a 150-lb person can burn 408 calories in one hour with moderate effort on a stationary bike.
Step 4
Substitute low-calorie foods for those high in calories. One cup of whole milk can have 149 calories while low-fat milk has 102 calories and fat-free milk has only 83 calories, according to the USDA. Drink water or club soda rather than a high-calorie soda like Sprite, which contains over 148 calories in a 12-oz. can.
If you eliminate drinking two cans of soda daily from your diet, by the end of the week, you've reduced your calorie intake by 1,400--which is equivalent to nearly half a pound.
Tips and Warnings
- Remember that the number of calories you're told to eat by any website are just guidelines. You should discuss calorie goals with your doctor. Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells, according to MedlinePlus.
- If you have any illnesses, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, you should discuss a diet and exercise plan with your physician.
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